Teacher training must be aligned with the demands of the 21st century

Educators need training and constant evolution of their skills, content and methodologies to ensure that learning is meaningful to students

In order for children and adolescents to develop their full potential in a world in constant transformation, as important as the content they learn throughout their school lives, it is the development of socio-emotional skills and abilities in line with the demands of the 21st century. “These characteristics will shape the way they will face the changes they will be subject to. Creativity, critical thinking, proactivity, persistence, resilience and adaptability, among others, are and will be essential attributes ”, says Bruno Gebara, director of operations at Camino Education.

According to him, in the same way that these skills have changed radically, teachers need to be in constant training and evolution, be it in their skills, content or methodologies, to ensure that the learning process is meaningful for students.

The traditional model of education, in which the teacher holds knowledge and the student passively learns contents that are not relevant to his life, is not sufficient for the current reality. “In a world where content is available on an Internet search engine, the teaching process cannot be limited to the transmission of content, at the risk of becoming useless. Therefore, the teacher needs to continue in his constant training to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to be able to form individuals capable of asking good questions to solve real-world problems, applying the knowledge built in the classroom or outside it ”, says Gebara.

In this sense, there is a major shift in the role of the teacher and education, from a teacher-centered model to a student-centered model, from mass teaching to personalized learning experiences, from the focus on content to the focus on competencies integrated with content from passive to active learning.

In this teaching method, students are involved in the learning process, in which research takes on a central role and the teacher acts as a facilitator and not a provider of information. Students apply knowledge in real-life situations, while developing socio-emotional skills, such as communication and collaboration.

“The teacher needs to be an agent of innovation, imbued with a sense of eternal apprentice, who seeks new methodologies and knowledge to bring learning experiences that are meaningful to his students”, completes the director.